Corr¥ption: Indonesia sentences former minister of Agriculture to 10yrs imprisonment

Indonesia’s anti-graft court on Thursday, July 11, sentenced a former agriculture minister, Syahrul Yasin Limpo alias SYL, to 10 years in prison for ext%rtion, ab¥se of power and bribery involving ministry contracts with private vendors.

The panel of judges at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court also ordered him to pay a 300 million rupiah ($18,500) fine, and said he would be subject to another four months’ imprisonment if he fails to pay.

The court ruled that the former Cabinet minister was guilty of ab¥sing his power by enriching himself and other officials, Time reports.

According to the presiding Judge Rianto Adam Pontoh, “The defendant has legally and convincingly been proven guilty of corr¥ption.

He wasn’t a good example as a public official, what he has done is counter the government’s efforts to fight corr¥ption and enriched himself by corr¥ption.”

Limpo had been arrested last October by the Corruption Eradication Commission, known as the KPK. He has denied wrongdoing.

Several ministry officials testified during the trial that secretariats, directorates general and agencies within the ministry was required to give up 20% of their budgets to Limpo, as though they were indebted to him, and he thr£@ted their jobs if they rejected his demands. Vendors and suppliers were also asked to set aside money to fulfill the then-minister’s demands, the trial revealed.

Limpo used the money on luxurious cars, gifts and apartments, charter private jets, family parties and gatherings, and for religious observances and pilgrimages. Limpo also used the bribes to disburse humanitarian aid for disaster victims and to his Nasdem political party.

Prosecutors said the politician accepted a total of 44.7 billion rupiah ($2.7 million) between January 2020 and October 2023.

In their indictment, prosecutors accused Limpo of ordering his two subordinates, Kasdi Subagyono and Muhammad Hatta, to collect the illicit money. They were each sentenced to four years in prison in separate cases.